The life-size, made-to-order “Chatty” is a mannequin with a face that is an empty screen until turned on to play DVD images from inside the body. If one is in the mood for conversation, sound can come from a separate speaker.

“It is a device that can show a person’s face, looks and mouth movements,” said the developer, Ishikawa Optics and Arts Corp. of Tokyo. “It forms realistic images as if he or she were really talking to you.”

Company president Jun Ishikawa said he wanted to produce historical figures such as ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra…

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The girl with the DVD face
They call her “Chatty.” Fantasies about chatting up legendary figures have come closer to reality in Japan where researchers have developed a mannequin with a built-in projector that can resemble a face of one’s choice. The life-size, made-to-order …